Boonton Melmac Factory Tour Stop One : This Was The Melamine Factory

This is the ariel tour of the Boonton factory as seen in some old memorabilia , an actual black and white brochure from many moons ago, originally I had inherited from Derek Schultz, a fellow collector.   And so I left a festival in New Jersey I was working with my husband selling BBQ to shoot over to Boonton...

Boonton, the makers of Boontonware melmac, in case you don't know what I'm talking about here are some images: 

This vintage set can be had for $96 at ColorMeNew

So Now I present to you: THE BOONTON FACTORY!

Although hard to see, this door  on left with steps is marked 326 above it, and therefore, the exact address of Scribner's Boonton factory!

Boonton Molding Company
326 Myrtle Avenue
Boonton, NJ


First, I must apologize for the graphics on this page. At the time, I was working in Hunterdon, NJ and decided to take a ride to Boonton. This was possibly 2009-2010 or earlier.  I had a crappy flip phone and originally posted this on an old Verizon site, that is long gone. I barely managed to migrate the old photos in time.  I tried to do some updated in 2018 for you from Google. 



Same building as above, but the small door under the red light, was the entrance to Boontonware Factory.  The building is extremely LONG...

This was basically part of the pictures I took, although easier here to see from Google.

At the time of my visit the buildings in question belonged to Dauphin (326 Myrtle) and Carbone (400 Myrtle).  The way in which the buildings were so close made me wonder if they could have both been used by Boonton at one time, however, I later found reference that Carbone resided at 400 Myrtle back in 1957 so that is unlikely, perhaps further investigation though the Boonton Historical Society or old records would confirm or deny if originally in the 40's Boonton had that building. 

 The first thing I want to explain is that when I originally thought of a big factory, I thought I'd find something like that old plant of the Solvay Factory in upstate New York.  You would assume you'd see big industrial buildings, many stories and chimneys, towers, and industrial looking outsides. Not so, this far all the old sites for melmac factories I've been to have been long warehouses. I was lucky enough to have a paper guide, thanks to the late and great Derek Schultz, who left me a guide to the Boontonware plant, Derek spent many years in Jersey and was privy to many factory tours and behind the scenes time with the people in charge doing research on Boonton. Curiously peaked me to visit, and I did some ride by's of the existing building that compromise now 300 to 400 Myrtle .......

Just to get an idea, (much like the paper brochure) just how large this conglomerate is, you have to see it from the ariel view......
Here is an ariel view of the Boontonware address "326 Myrtle Avenue."
The original factory address says it was at 326 Myrtle Avenue.  I will explain in another post more about the inception of the factory, as George K. Scribner started up the factory in a tiny corner of another factory perhaps "allotment of space" or sharing space.  

From what I've learned, the plastics were an accidental addition and Boontonware dishes date back to 1946 based on my research! By 1955, Boontonware would be turning out 70,000 pieces of dinnerware an hour.  That's a lot of dishes.  Wow!

This would have been the site of the original Boontonware Melmac Factory 

building

At the time of my visit, the Dauphin building, however as of 2018 I see them listed in Montville, so I don't know, I hope to get there again with clearer photos. 

Back shots of the buildings encompassing 326-400 Myrtle.As we know the 400 block was Carbone, and as of 1957 was not part of Boonton Molding , but perhaps I will include them in case someday I find out they were indeed leased by Boonton back in the day............

Back shots.......
  

Unsure if this was part of Boonton factory in the 50's , but could very well have been a loading area.  



Boonton Factory or Not? 

Behind Carbone, you can see where the old glass windows of an old factory type building still stand and I am unsure which is Carbone's and which belonged to .Boonton Molding.  

More pics of Carbone (the neighbor) at the time of my visit:

Carbone is still housing this area as of November 2018.

   Mind you, this is technically marked 400 Myrtle Avenue.  

Further Information: 

Circa 1970's :  Boontonware was now a division of PYAH INDUSTRIES. 

BOONTON MOLDING CO., INC.,BOONTONWARE DIV. OF PYAH INDUSTRIES 301 Myrtle Ave.

Boonton Historical Society had a "tent sale" celebrating Boonton's presence in the neighborhood for 57 years. See the article here:  daily record


You can continue onto 

Continue to : Boonton Melmac Factory Tour Part 2 Here

Prophylactic Brush Florence Manufacturing History Prolon

Get this at ElevenVintage on Etsy!

 
 Early Days and Historical Timeline of Florence Manufacturing Company 

To understand the industry of Florence you must first understand it was a small industrial mill town built along a river, a rich history in silk production. It was also stop on the underground railway  One of the most interesting industrial towns I've visited or learned about, with land dating back to the Nonotuck and Pocumtuck Native Americans.

1854 - Daniel Green Littlefield came back to Florence in 1854 as a traveling salesman for in the A.P. Critchlow and Company (maker of paper mache buttons and daguerreotypes). This is where he met Issac S. Parsons; soon  taking over the company which was renamed Littlefield, Parsons and Company.

1866 - These two fellows with three other parties (George Burr, S.L. Hinkley and George Scott) would soon form The Florence Manufacturing Company in 1866.  They would quickly be known for toothbrushes, and for development of their own plastic compound.


According to early listings, the Florence Manufacturing Company was at 136 Pine Street. If you Google that address, it is non existant. You will be standing between the Congressional Church (130 Pine St.) and the Community Center (former school, brick building at 140 Pine St.)

See the styling , Granny Beans Boutique on Etsy has this early prophylactic brush!

1867- A gazette explains the original factory (brick) building was 125 feet long and 40 feet wide, three stories in height, and designed by Mr. Gardner, the Florence architect with boiler heat. The factory was perfecting the toilet brush. (hair brush.)  It talked about how it took them ten to fourteen days, and the brush was of the finest quality, some of the bristles (plastic) coming from Germany and Russia because they could not find worthy bristles made of American plastic.  It made mention the factory also produced cardboard boxes, which would be ironic as their toothbrushes were sold in the cardboard boxes.  (Perhaps this bristle dilemma would prove the need to acquire their own plastic molding equipment aka facilities.)

Charles Sheffield Collection : A look at Florence Mfg Company Circa 1894

1894 - According to Charles Sheffield now the buildings were a series of three brick due to expansion. A new two story building was put on in 1886, and the office building in 1893. Now the  company already had a  "Florence Line" of wares such as mirrors and novelties, in addition to aluminum products called Cosmeon , the bristles, plastic of course. Workforce ranged up to 150 "hands" which I assume would be referred to as at least 75 workers.

Cosmeon Brushes 1896 ad

1896 Prophylactic Brush!

1904-  Much emphasis makes their toothbrush one of the "cleanest around" and a huge marketing campaign is focused on drugstores and general stores to push the act of brushing teeth with this clean sterilized brush onto customers.  Below, a Doctor backs them!

One of my earliest clues of the factory shows an ariel sketch of the "clean airy factory!"

Plastic toothbrushes, the best you can buy, Circa 1908

1920 - According to a merchandising magazine, the company was having a hard time finding workers, so they went out and posted photographs of the plant (how clean it was) hoping to entice female workers to get a job there. Much needed positions for women was help in the "sterilization room" where each toothbrush (or brush) was sterilized before packing.  See the logo below...

This brush at Raggedy Andrews says "STERILIZED" and is a prime example of an early toilet brush. Could this have been in the Cosmeon line?

1921 - You can see the 1921 photo looks a bit different than the 1894 photo, and business was booming.  I found material that the factory was listed at 211 Pine Street (changed from 136 Pine Street.)  I also found listings 165 Pine Street, and 20 Pine Street. There are constant address discrepancies.

1921 Photo from an Advertising Magazine

1922 -  Florence Manufacturing employed over 700 workers. The locals were constantly referring to it as "The Brush Factory."

1924- Florence officially changed its name to the Pro-phy-lac-tic Brush Company.

1930- Williams Lambert (pharmaceuticals) bought them out after years of negotiations.

Prolon ad 1943 calls the toothbrush's plastic "Prolon"

1943- The toothbrushes are still going strong an the word Prolon is all around.

1946- They claim that "Prolon" is their trade name for the "Dupont Bristles" used in the brushes,

1947-  Prolon listing says 221 Pine Street. 




1949- Prolon trays and dinnerware pushed to colleges and hospitals.

FromTheMouseNest on Etsy has this child's cup for sale.

1950-Listings for  Prolon say 211 Pine Street in the Plastics Encyclopedias.

1951- Prolon marketed heavily to and used in schools.

The 1953 open stock was a bit different than Florence Ware!

1952- Prolon made of Melmac is advertised in an Electro-Technology magazine having 8 designer colors with a choice of 23 open stock items....however every reference of Irving Harper's designs come two years later.

1952-  Plants for the Melamine are listed in Florence, Massachusetts and Canada!


1954:- It's no secret that George Nelson Associates has Irving Harper's design Florence Ware.

Circa 1958

1958 - This Prolon advert shows all the original color names and the open stock prices. Note the dinnerware is coming out of Chicago, Illinois!

1959-  US Dinnerware crops up with a plant in Port Gibson, Mississippi, this will be instrumental in later Prolon melamine history.

"Regatta pattern" note, Irving's sputnik sugar and creamer.

1959-  During this time some very mid century modern patterns emerged decorating Prolon's Florence line designed by Irving Harper of George Nelson Associates. I should add that it was rare for designs to be put on the actual creamers and sugars but the Regatta line is a prime example of that.

1960- Prolon is still listed at 221 Pine and still making melmac.

1963 - Still listed at 221 Pine Street and molding items such as record player housings.

The designs for  the late 60's going into 1970 were olive, browns and mustards. At this point I'm thinking ceramic dinnerware looked much better.  

1993- Company is now listed as PRO CORPORATION / PMC and listed at the 296 Nanotuck address, the original brush building.  Please note, PMC was also printed on Texas Ware Articles...hmmmm

1997- Pro Corp bought the property in Bankrupcy Court for $5 million dollars  and still had employee count of at least 100 workers. 

2003-  Prolon  (melamine) is now listed at the Port Gibson, Mississippi address...hmmmmm?

2007- In Florence, employee count had fallen and a source says the factory closes and the building is up for sale. 


2007-2009: Nonotuck Mill LLC purchases the historic building at 296 Nanotuck Street and partners in with an environmental company, due to the history of the building. The sale of the building went for $950,000, a far cry from five million, This of course was due to the massive clean up and renovation of the Nonotuck building  due to the amount of oil, gas, and  toxic chemicals "buried beneath the building".

2009-2010 - The old Brush Factory's offices are now refurbished to keep the character and rented to businesses.  Thanks to Nonotuck Mill LLC for saving another great building in history from demise.  You can see another shot on this previous Prolon post.

Meanwhile, after the history in Massachusetts we are back to Mississippi:

2008:  Prolon is now owned by United States Dinnerware, and officially listed as Prolon, LLC Port Gibson, Mississippi . They advertise that it was founded in 1959 in the height of the “Golden Age” in Port Gibson, Mississippi where it successfully launched Prolon™, a durable and versatile melamine dinnerware brand that is highly regarded in the food service industry.

Commercial Prolon NSF aimed at Foodservice, find these at VintageGoodies on Etsy

2009: In my conversations with Steve Gluck, President, he tells me that he's competing with mass produced made in China melamine, that their factory still produces everything in the USA and competing is a huge struggle. Today, he claims his company is proud to be the only domestic full-line supplier of melamine dinnerware.

2014: The company is still producing Melamine Dinnerware, Military Dinnerware, Melamine Tableware, Military Tableware

2017 :  Thermo-Serv Ltd, has acquired Prolon, and now the dishes are still being offered !


-----------------------Questions Concerning Florence, Prolon and Melamine-----

Melmac Production in Mississippi:  It is unclear just when operations of melamine dinnerware for Prolon ceased in Florence Massachusetts and rights bought in Mississippi by US Dinnerware. One would assume after the factory closed in 2007, but this may not be so.  US Dinnerware's company slogan would make you think they were producing it since 1959, but I am unsure if that claim to fame is true.  Although it is quite possible that Prolon focused on plastics and injection molding rather than heavy dinnerware, and could have sold their plastics division early, unless this information is disclosed one may never know.

Canadian Factory : Little is known about the Canadian factory, or how these articles were molded. Could these have been the items shipping through Chicago?

Pine Street Address in Florence :  Over ten Pine Street addresses were found on early correspondence. Why is this?


221 Pine Street Questions - How Much a Part in Prolons History Was It? :  Here still stands a big white conglomerate building called the Arts & Industries building. Today it sits on the river and rents out office space.  If you look closely it is brick just painted white. Take into consideration the original Prolon correspondence I found listed them at the  "Intersection of Pine and Nonotuck" paired with the fact later Plastics Encyclopedias did indicate this was Prolon Plastics Factory at 221 Pine Street.

But could this have been the site dating all the way back to 1904 (for plastics production?) You can compare it to my ad from 1904.

Google Maps, Former Prolon Plastics Plant? Was any molding done here?

Here's the aerial view of the buildings at 221 Pine compared to the 1904 ad.

Courtesy, Google Map Ariel

For reference,  here is an arial view of how close this huge building at 221 Pine would be to the Nonotuck Street building.  Remember, Nonotuck Street was not used on any of the company's earliest correspondence but is indeed what the locals say the local of the Brush Factory.

Could all of this been Prophylactic territory per se?  Thanks, Google Maps .

According to the locals, and the realtor,  this brick building  now named Nonotuck Mills at 296 Nonotuck Street was the former site of the Florence Brush Factory, and they list it on historical documents as eventual home to the  PRO CORPORATION.

As for the big white Industrial Arts building at 221 Pine, I'd like to think the locals would credit this to the plastics, but sadly  I cannot find much mention of 221 Pine anywhere. Doesn't anyone love the plastics?  Hello!

The original photos of Florence Manufacturing appear to be the Nonotuck Street address. Do you agree? 

The towner is my only point of reference, and possibly shape of the windows.

See the arrow for how close the 221 Pine Street building was. 

Other sites of interest if you like the Florence Manufacturing Company:

A Virtual Tour of Northampton - See a great photo of the Brush Company!


Mill River Greenway - Read this great information .


Do you have a story about the Prophylactic Brush Company, Florence Manufacturing or Prolon Plastics factory? Please leave comments here.  Thanks for reading.  

This post featured on The Melmac Encyclopedia!

Thank you to, 
Google Maps
Steve Gluck, Prolon
Nonotuck Indian History
Locals in Florence 
Maple Leaf Plastics 
NEREG
ECS, Inc.
Factory, the Magazine of Management
Charles Sheffield ,  History of Florence
Electra Technology Magazine
Plastics Encyclopedias 1945-2000
Various Retail Magazines
Department Store Economist  
Early Account of Florence
Mill River History
Flood of 1874
Original Magazines, Newspapers circa 1866-1920

My blog is ran by my podcast, you may find this podcast episodie about Boontonware useful

Kenro Company History Melmac Melamine Fredonia Plastics

The futuristic deisgns of Kenro's holiday , this  set $40 at CalmCoolCollected on Etsy.

Kenro was one of great melamine manufacturers that outlived most. One may argue it was their timing or their keen ways of marketing and management.   I did a lot of research on them because I was in awe that by 1959 they were opening a second location when most plastics companies were lucky to survive.

Lovely Kenro Plates $38 at WanderlustSupplyCo on Etsy!

Kenro was named for it's owners, Kenneth Welch and Roger Sacia   (They took the KEN from Kenneth and RO from Roger to make the name Kenro. ) Their first plant, in Freedonia  Wisconsin at 200 Industrial Drive (Washington County) established in 1953 was turning out 24 hours worth of plastic  products, and 2 million dollars in annual sales by 1958.

An ariel View from Google shows you how large this area was. 

The company was so overwhelmed,a second location in Galesville was in swing by the end of 1958, set to open in February 1959.  By 1959 a lot of earlier plastics companies were on their way out due to rising production costs and a general lack of love for melamine by consumers. Kenro's successful lines were Holiday by Kenro, Debonaire Melmac, and various kitchen plastics.

By 1966, Tom Meisenheimer was the national sales manager for Kenro, and had landed a contract with McDonald's, producing some of their plastic movie plates.  The company continued it's plastics production.  

Eventually there was some unknown merger or affiliation with Brookpark because later information lists Brookpark in 1996-1999 at the same address.Was Kenro molding for Brookpark or what?   To date, the company's building still stands today but is part of the Carlisle Corporation, you know, the ones who make commercial foodservice plates.

Presently, the company still says Kenro Inc and Carlisle on it. Courtesy: Google maps. 

Identifying Kenro items are easy, since most items are clearly marked.  What may be confusing is dating. Some will list patent numbers on them, and some will say patent pending. The patent pending is obviously older and scarcer because the company had applied but a patent was not yet granted for the items.  Later items show the original patent but does not mean they were produced on that date of the patent, but is simply referring to their original patent. You will see script and print backstamps for Kenro.

Identification tip: Backstamps were in Print and Cursive and often contained the
Patent number below or patent pending!  Kenro also made the Debonaire Line!

This funky backstamp looks like an "oops" from BrickFarmhouse on Etsy.

   

 

Print backstamp Courtesy of WanderlustSupplyCo on Etsy!

Debonaire Melmac Line backstamp from Modster Mash on Etsy.

Kenro was making all kinds of plastics for picnic, special order for companies or household use! I just found these adorable squatty cups today I'd never seen in 25 years of collecting. Because of Kenro's production run long you never know what you will find!  Funky!

These cute Kenro cups available at BrickFarmhouse on Etsy!

 What is known is the factory was later merged with Carlisle Corporation ( you know, the ones who make the buffet and commercial dinnerware for Foodservice.) The building still displays Kenro on it today!

Debonaire by Kenro, these at Modster Mash on Etsy.

Not just a pretty name. They were two very smart guys!

What's more, the inventors Kenneth B. Welch (President) and Roger R Sacia (Vice President) decided to patent their technique for METHOD AND COMPOSITION FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SPECKLED PLASTIC WARE on April 6, 1954!  This patent would technically prove them being "first to patent the speckled ware" although they weren't exactly first to invent. 

Most of Kenro's designs were patented.

One could argue from Russel Wright's experimental work in Syracuse, that he was experimenting with gold flecks and speckled wares as early as manufacturing of his Meladur or Prototype test lines, circa 1946-1949. Then enter Residential by Russel wright which was speckled in ways and on the table by the time the Kenro patent went through.  Other makers such as Daileyware or Boonton also had speckled designs.  In fact it's almost certain Boonton was first to the table but the difference here is that the Kenro guys were smart enough to put a patent on it!  Additionally, they held patents in Canada as well.  I have found some Canadian designs that are dead ringers for Kenro.

Kenro Debonaire Tumblers from seller WWBYNIGHT on Ebay

 Stay tuned, because my next post will be all about Kenro's glorious Ice Buckets...............

You May Like: 

All my Kenro posts. 



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Ingrid Plastic Party Ball Factory Tour

I like to think of Ingrid as the official "Party Ball" people. Even when the ball's not around they are still into party aspect of plastics.  Like these great stacking cups available at Laura's Last Ditch on Etsy.

Close up thanks to Laura's Last Ditch on Etsy. 

From Chicagoland comes this hard molded plastic. Is it melmac? Or a form thereof? Who knows. I first saw the balls all over the place in the 1980's though many people say they've been around since the 1960's--I wonder if this is indeed true. Could it be they are so used to seeing the like-look of Massimo Vignelli's Heller dinnerware and  Guzzini Alimntari's designs in the past and so they thought the spacey Ingrid of the 1980's has been around forever?

I had a listing for them back in the 1980's at

INGRID 

3601 N. Skokie Highway, North Chicago, IL 60064.  

I looked them up on the Google map. At first like most companies I figured they weren't making anything but instead just distributing it. Now I am not so sure because a 500,000 square foot warehouse lies at that address.  Wow. That was either a ton of distributing (employee lot on the side, visitor lot on the front and trains in the back) or they were pumping out some fresh plastic.

At first I thought that perhaps Ingrid stole Massimo Vignelli's Heller molds, (cups and mugs are very simliar) but in essence, they are a bit different.  I suppose we'll never really know.  No matter what, there's a lot of them floating around today.   I am uncertain if Rubbermaid eventually acquired them, but that was a rumor I heard that I have been unable to prove--and I don't really know when Ingrid folded.  I found a lot of references to housewares such as laundry baskets and other plastics but not sure if they sold these directly or produced for another company.

Original Party Ball Box courtesy of MK Retro on Etsy!

MK Retro on Etsy has an excellent Example of the original party ball in it's box, new old stock. You can see here how it was sold, and how lovely the colors look. If you aren't familiar with them, the pieces stack inside the plastic ball (which has a carrying strap) just like the photo above!

Although the cups were a bit small for sodas, it would serve perfect at a park picnic with a bit of wine and cheese!  the rainbow colors made them very sought after during this time. 

Ingrid appears to be more flexible in their party ball dinnerware as far as the plates go, and carrying case. These actually have some flexibility to them.  The cups however are a harder plastic. Uncertain if either of these plastics are melmac or melamine at all, but whatever it is, it sure is funky! What are you waiting for? Go get this set now!